Avian influenza in the Landes: the suspicion is raised – South West

VS‘is the relief in the Landes farms: while Monday, December 7, suspected cases of avian influenza had been detected during a check in Sort-en-Chalosse, that analyzes had to be carried out in the laboratory and that an epidemiological investigation had to be launched, if necessary, the Landes prefecture confirmed the next day, at the end of afternoon, that the suspicion was raised.

Already, on October 13, a Cazaubon farm had been placed under surveillance for a suspected avian flu. In the Landes, the communes of Parleboscq, Escalans and Gabarret had passed into a temporary control zone. The epidemiological investigation carried out by the veterinary services to confirm the presence of this highly pathogenic virus had led to a false alarm.

A “high risk” of traffic

Marie-Hélène Cazaubon, president of the Landes Chamber of Agriculture, who spoke Monday evening of “suspicion”, wanted to be reassuring, recalling that the confinement was to prevent the spread of the virus. Since November 5, breeders must shelter their animals, or confine them in closed places, because of the “high” risk of the circulation of avian flu among the bird population. Following this alert, vehicles entering and leaving the farms of the municipalities concerned had to undergo disinfection, but this Tuesday, the temporary control zone, which must be materialized by signs, had not yet been set up.

The breeders of the villages of Sort-en-Chalosse, Candresse, Clermont, Garrey, Hinx, Mimbaste and Saugnac-et-Cambran, can again circulate in this sector, but vigilance, in an area where the density of farms is the most high of the department, remains in order. Last year, it was during this period that the first cases were detected in the Landes and 3.5 million ducks had to be slaughtered in a few months.